Urban Catholic schools are closing, victims of an obsolete funding model, writes Stephanie Saroki de García of Seton Partners. The Archdiocese of Memphis will close 10 inner-city schools, all part of the “Jubilee Catholic Schools” consortium that was hailed as the “Memphis Miracle” 20 years ago. Brilla Charter Prep student We need “schools of virtue” to educate our neediest children, she writes. Can charters fill that gap? When Catholic schools closed in Chicago’s poor neighb

After a grade-switching scandal at two high schools, Memphis Superintendent Dorsey Hopson has issued a moratorium on “grade floors,” reports Chalkbeat Tennessee. “Proponents of grade floors had called them a useful tool to motivate students who lag far behind to bring up their grades — for instance, bumping a student performing at 20 percent up to a 60 percent on a scale that requires at least a 70 percent to pass.” Failing grades deprive students of hope,” argues Marlena Lit

Charter schools in 14 cities received an average of $5,721 less per student in federal, state, local and private funding than district-run schools in 2013-14, concludes a University of Arkansas study. The funding gap averaged 29 percent. Public charter schools in Camden, New Jersey received 45 percent less than district schools, $14,771 less per student. Washington, D.C. charters received $13,874 less per student. Camden charter schools receive 45 percent less funding per stu

Although Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is “essentially bankrupt,” the district is operating dozens of half-empty schools, reports Chicago City Wire. Team Englewood is in a building that once housed more than 5,100 students. Only 161 are enrolled now. On an average day 122 students show up for class. Harper, which once had 4,400 students, now has 172. Fenger is down from 5,300 to 223. Hirsch enrolls 147 students; the building has space for 3,280. In 1966, CPS enrollment was 607